Let me begin my saying this. If you haven’t experienced the sheer joy that comes from a bowl of garlic roasted chickpeas, then you simply have not lived. They are, by nature, not the most vibrant of colors and may seem a bit ordinary at first, but roast them with a bit of olive oil, a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes and a dusting of garlic powder and they come to life like RuPaul Charles!
I like to make a big sheet pan of them every week and eat them atop salads or as an added garnish to a bowl of hummus or soup. But to be perfectly honest, you can usually find me eating them by the handful with a ring of olive oil around my mouth.
Today's post is a two-for-one in that I'm sharing the recipe for these roasted, garlicky delights as well as my favorite recipe for Kale Caesar Salad! I love to use Lacinato Kale for this recipe. In fact, I have a bit of a crush on Lacinato Kale because I just can’t get over how striking it is. I mean, have you ever seen anything sexier? Dios Mio, just look at that texture!
Also known as Dinosaur Kale, Lacinato is, in my opinion, much more flavorful and less dry than your average curly kale. It takes on dressing like a dream, doesn’t get soggy and doesn’t require too much coaxing to soften up. Even still, I like to massage my freshly chopped kale with a bit of olive oil for good measure. Though I’m not sure if I’m doing this for myself or the kale, because it’s incredibly therapeutic to give your produce a massage.
Once I’ve got my chopped kale oiled up, I like to set it aside while I whip up the dressing. I always reach for my immersion blender when I make salad dressings, because I find it pulverizes small batches of ingredients better than my blender. This reminds me, I need to write a blog post on all the ways I use my immersion blender, because it’s the unspoken gem of my kitchen! Note to self.
I’ll often toss the kale leaves with a few tablespoons of dressing and place it in the refrigerator until it’s time to serve. Then, I’ll typically add a few more tablespoons of dressing to toss and garnish it with a bit of cracked pepper, the chickpea croutons and a whisper of parmesan.
On most weekdays, you can find me eating this salad for lunch. It pairs so well with salmon and a squeeze of lemon or as a side to soups and pastas.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and as always, thanks for stopping by!
Kale Caesar Salad with roasted garlic Chickpea “Croutons”
INGREDIENTS:
for the salad and dressing:
- 2 bunches Lacinato Kale, washed, ribs removed and chopped
- about 5 oz. greek yogurt, or 1 individual package of Chobani Greek Yogurt
- 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp. pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 - 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce, plus more as desired
- Parmesan, finely ground or shredded, to garnish
for the chickpeas:
- 1 can Organic Chickpeas (AKA Garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 - 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drain your chickpeas, and rinse thoroughly. Then, place the chickpeas in an even layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper (or foil). Toss the chickpeas with a bit of olive oil, a few pinches of salt and ground pepper. Then, sprinkle with a pinch of red pepper flakes and the garlic powder and toss once more. You can adjust the seasonings once they are finished roasting and add more salt as needed, etc. Place in the oven to roast for 20 minutes.
- While the chickpeas are roasting, rinse and dry the kale. Remove the stem/rib and chop julienne style. Place the chopped kale in your salad bowl. Toss with 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil and use your fingers to massage the oil into the leaves to help soften the texture even further. Set aside.
- Next, place the greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire Sauce into a high-speed blender or appropriate jar for your immersion blender. Blend together until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust as needed. If it needs more flavor add a bit more salt and pepper, if it needs more garlic add an additional clove. If it needs more of a bite, add a bit more Worcestershire Sauce. And lastly, if you want to thin out the consistency add in a bit more olive oil. Blend again.
- Toss a few Tablespoons of the salad dressing with the kale. Set aside or wrap and place in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
- Once your chickpeas have finished roasting, remove from the oven and taste. I typically add another pinch of salt and crack of pepper and may even toss with a few more red pepper flakes if I want the extra kick. Set aside to cool.
- When you’re ready to serve, toss the kale with a few more Tablespoons of dressing, freshly ground black pepper, a small pinch of salt and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Then, top with the roasted chickpeas and serve!
